I found the HOLY GRAIL! (1926 Harley)

GoldenMotor.com

harry76

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2011
2,557
47
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Brisbane, Australia
Cool I'll be watching this one..... Interestingly we have both found a vintage motorcycle engine that was turned into a stationary engine post-war and we will be returning them to their former glories as bike engines again....... I thought my engine was a cool find.... Your is out of this world!!!!!!
 

Greg58

Well-Known Member
May 1, 2011
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Newnan,Georgia
I have to say that you have found what most all of us here only dream of, if you build a bike around that engine you will truely have a one of a kind ride!
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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63
Littleton, Colorado
Restore it, get it running then mount it on a nice chrome stand and put it on your mantel. That way you don't even have to go it to the garage to admire it.

Either that or build a bike that would do it justice and ride that sucker. :)

Tom
 

bird

New Member
Dec 5, 2011
96
0
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prunedale, CA
Cool I'll be watching this one..... Interestingly we have both found a vintage motorcycle engine that was turned into a stationary engine post-war and we will be returning them to their former glories as bike engines again....... I thought my engine was a cool find.... Your is out of this world!!!!!!
The BSA right? not a bad lookin motor
 

harry76

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2011
2,557
47
48
Brisbane, Australia
Yeah a 1950 BSA M20, I bought it as a motorcycle engine but have since been advised it had been used as a stationary engine post war. I paid the same amount as you but I'd imagine yours would be worth a lot more money, and is a lot cooler. Really cool find, you really hit the jackpot. I plan to make mine into a boardtrack with no immediate plans of registering it. I look forward to seeing what you do with yours.
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
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Indianapolis
I have to say: I stand among those of us who would lovingly restore that engine to like-new running order. Then we'd bolt it to a drop-dead gorgeous bike, and ride someplace where Hawg riders would see it and drool. All the while, we'd listen to the music of the exhaust note. Yep, that's what some of us would do if we'd gotten it first.
So if you have plans to sell it, I can tell you how to make a fast buck. Just get on this forum and post the pic with the caption "for sale". I'd bet you'd get a good price here, and I'd bet it would be gone so fast it would make your eardrums pop.
 

thegnu

New Member
Sep 15, 2011
982
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freedom pa
I think you made the right decision , an you are a prime example of dreams can come true now an then , an have to admit I too am a lil jealous but happier for you than anything else . NOW lets see this motor back on the road !
Gary
 

curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
6,077
4,041
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minesota
Keep it and do a build,were would you find another to replace it. You can always sell but not replace so easy.............Curt
 

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
7,333
1,966
113
Los Angeles, CA.
Here's my $.02... Enjoy it, but be very careful not to break it while playing with it.
I learned a big lesson several years ago... I scored a $900 R/C car racing engine for very little money & was quickly offered $700 for it for a fellow racer.
I decided that I would install it in my R/C car & play with it first... A week later it blew up! :(
I now have a $700 ornament on my key chain... :rolleyes:

You have a nice little piece of history there that can pay off a few large bills; Be very careful with it so that when it's time to send it to another home, it will still be worth something. ;)
 

donb4103

Member
Oct 7, 2011
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Chickasha,Oklahoma
I know exactly how you felt when you found it. The same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. I was talking to an older man about my motorized bikes that I build and sell. He stated that he had an old motorcycle in his barn that had been sitting there for over 37 years. He wanted to know if it was something I might want. So I followed him to his farm and walked into his barn. As he pulled the old tarp off the bike, I almost fell over! I knew at that moment I had just found my dream motorcycle. It was a 1946 Indian Chief. 100% there and a full dresser bike. Locked up and rusted like crazy. I offered $1500 and we ended up agreeing to $3000. I have not stopped smiling since I got it home. If I can live long enough to get it fully restored I will have it painted Tangerine and Cream. That is the color of my Dream Cycle.
 

bird

New Member
Dec 5, 2011
96
0
0
prunedale, CA
I re-wired everything and It has extremely good spark now, cranked it over a few times with fresh oil and got a few pops. Now all I need is a decent carb and Im ready to begin the frame build! I am stoked!!!
 

thegnu

New Member
Sep 15, 2011
982
1
0
freedom pa
Don you mentioned dream motorcycle an those colors tangerine an cream , did you ever give any thought to the colors of a "dreamsicle frozen pop?" it occured to you could restore it an call it the dreamcycle.
 

cobrafreak

New Member
Feb 16, 2011
1,049
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sacramento ca
This engine is very valuable. Are you going to find a Harley frame and piece this bike together to original specs or are you going to put it in a custom build?
 

curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
At this point I don't think he realy knows yet, he is to bussy cleaning out his under shorts...........Curt
 

bird

New Member
Dec 5, 2011
96
0
0
prunedale, CA
This engine is very valuable. Are you going to find a Harley frame and piece this bike together to original specs or are you going to put it in a custom build?
I am planning on finding the original model or atleast close to original frame and do a restored boardtrack machine. I have found that almost all of the harley JD frame goodies are compatible 1925-29. At around $5,000 just for the original frame in un-restored condition, This may take a while.
 

Lurker

New Member
Jan 29, 2010
403
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Pittsburgh
There are companies that make reproduction frames and other componets like the link I posted earlier and I'm sure they are are a lot cheeper than 5k. Are you set on using all original parts?